Response to interpellations 2023/24:471 and 514 on economic barriers to children's participation in sports

Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)

Madam Speaker! Serkan Köse has asked me how I and the government intend to address the economic barriers that families face and which limit children's and young people's opportunities to participate in sports activities.

Serkan Köse has also asked me if I and the government intend to take any measures to strengthen support for sports clubs, especially in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas, to ensure that all children have access to sports activities regardless of the parents' economic background.

Mattias Vepsä has asked me what measures I and the government are taking here and now to give more children and young people a chance to participate in sports.

I agree with Serkan Köse's and Mattias Vepsäs' view on the importance of children and young people having good opportunities to participate in sports and other leisure activities. Children's and young people's participation should not be determined by the size of the family's wallet. The importance of sports in itself, as well as for both public health and the sense of community, is a fundamental pillar in the state's support for sports. The goal of the government's sports policy is, among other things, to provide opportunities for all children and young people to exercise and participate in sports. Therefore, the government supports the sports movement with an annual contribution to Sveriges Riksidrottsförbund of approximately 2 billion kronor. The support is largely channeled further to federations and the 19,000 sports clubs around the country that conduct various forms of sports activities, not least for children and young people.

We know that the economic situation for many families has been made more difficult. The Government takes this situation most seriously. In socially vulnerable areas, household finances are often weaker than the average, and it requires more from the sports movement to reach children and young people. The Government therefore decided in 2023 on a permanent grant of 100 million kronor per year to Sveriges Riksidrottsförbund to further develop sports activities in socially vulnerable areas.

The government also has an initiative on a leisure card that shall cover children and young people in the ages of 8-16 years. The leisure card shall contribute to strengthening children's and young people's opportunities to participate in leisure activities. The leisure card should correspond to a value that can be used as payment for leisure activities organized by, for example, the sports movement, outdoor organizations, and other organizations within civil society and the cultural sphere. The amount will have a differentiated design in order to specifically support children and young people in socioeconomically vulnerable households. Parents shall not have to prioritize between the grocery bag and a child's leisure activity. The leisure card will be able to make a difference for children and young people all around the country.

The Government is making significant investments in children's and young people's sports so that more people get the opportunity for a meaningful leisure time.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Serkan Köse (S)

Madam Speaker! I thank the Minister for the answer.

We see today how the economic crisis and rising living costs limit many families' opportunities to let their children engage in sports activities. It is a worrying development that not only threatens children's physical activity and social contexts but also their personal development and well-being.

We also see how the economic crisis forces families to opt out of sports in favor of basic needs such as food. It is a harsh reality today that families in socioeconomically vulnerable and disadvantaged areas face, a reality where the accessibility of sports becomes a class issue.

Madam Speaker! Sport has long been an important arena for integration, social cohesion, and the promotion of health. Therefore, it is not okay that finances prevent children from participating. It puts fundamental rights, such as the right to play, movement, and participation in social life, at stake. We believe that all children deserve the opportunity for sports and leisure activities, regardless of socioeconomic background and regardless of where one lives in our country.

Madam Speaker! It is obvious that we can lower the thresholds for a meaningful and social leisure time. Investments in simpler equipment such as basketballs, footballs, and floorball sticks, together with access to suitable spaces, can make a big difference for very many. But we encounter obstacles such as insufficient resources, poor lighting, and substandard changing rooms, which is particularly problematic, once again, in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas.

The government has presented a leisure card that we have not seen until now and which is not quite in place. It would be interesting to hear from the Minister when it will be introduced, as it is over 700 million kronor that have been stuck in the government's account for the current year. That is a lot of money for children's and young people's leisure, and we Social Democrats believe that the money should come to children and young people. We think that the money should be used where it can do direct good for children and young people. It is about investing in renovating sports facilities and prioritizing, once again, residents in vulnerable areas.

Madam Speaker! The association life and the outdoor movement are still waiting for information on how the allocated funds for 2024 will be used. It would be interesting if the Minister could say something about that. The needs are great and civil society stands ready, but many activities need to be planned well in advance to ensure premises, arenas, leaders, permits, and other things.

I am myself very involved in the football and sports movement and actually see the consequences of the increased inequalities. I have a 15-year-old myself who plays football. I know what it costs - an enormous amount of money. Now many parents are receiving the fee for the current year. The membership fees have been raised. As a result of the increased costs in society, the clubs and associations also need to charge higher fees.

I meet many parents who have a very hard time paying the fees to the clubs, and it affects the children. It is not just the fees to the clubs, but also the costs for football shoes and equipment that have increased. Should one pay rent and food, or should one pay the fee to the football club?

Again: How does the Minister intend to use the 730 million that are allocated for 2024 so that all children in our country can have access to sports and other types of club activities already this year?

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Mattias Vepsä (S)

Madam Speaker! Thank you for the opportunity for this debate! It is extremely urgent to conduct.

We live in a society where we see how class differences affect and how the cost-of-living crisis hits those who are having it the toughest right now.

I have been given the opportunity to internally lead a working group that has looked at increased social cohesion through culture, sports, and leisure. We see a society where we live in separate worlds when it comes to access to sports arenas. We are also looking at culture and also at leisure activities. More and more people are participating, but those who are left out end up even further out. It cannot continue like this.

Just as the Minister says in his answer, the access to sports and associations in socioeconomically weak areas is lower than in the socioeconomically strong areas in our cities.

My question is based on an increasingly clear reality. A few weeks ago, we had round-table discussions with large parts of the children's rights organizations and also with large parts of civil society. They also met Jakob Forssmed here some time ago. At that time, the focus was on breaking down crime. But during both of the meetings we have had, it has struck me that one does not only hear stories about how concrete the problem is with fees to be able to participate in sports or leisure activities. It is also about the responsibility being shifted to the children themselves. More and more people testify that the children take responsibility, because they know that the parents cannot afford it.

It is painful to hear stories from around our country about children who pretend to have stomach aches and skip practice or say that they do not want to play football this term because the interest is no longer there. In reality, it may be that the parents actually have such a tough financial situation that they cannot afford it. One has to choose between football boots or the fee to the association.

This is a reality that I had wished the government could take a bit more seriously and perhaps shift into a higher gear to solve, because the space exists. We Social Democrats note, just as the previous speaker pointed out, that we have not seen the leisure card in place yet. We will have to see if a leisure card will come. But why not use the space and already now lower fees, increase participation in sports, and ensure that children do not have to take responsibility themselves for their parents' situation? It is possible to be creative in a very difficult situation.

We Social Democrats have tried to contribute. We have a proposal that concerns strengthening the municipalities' ability to increase opening hours and reach more people by using these funds. But they could also be used to reinforce child allowances or in other ways facilitate for the groups that today need support the most.

We must emphasize the importance of actually reaching these groups. We also see a concern. One could perhaps touch upon that a bit later here. My question is about what is being done here and now. I do not think it is possible to wait.

But when we talk about the leisure card, I want to ask a question as a complement to Serkan Köse's question about when it will arrive. Are all hidden fees taken into account? It is about cup fees, equipment, and travel. One point that has emerged in the round-table discussions and the meetings I have attended is that fewer and fewer people can afford to even get to practice, and we know that very few regions and municipalities provide support for travel.

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Emma Ahlström Köster (M)

Madam Speaker! This government sees the entire family's economy, and we see how the different parts are interconnected. Families burdened by high taxes or unreasonable gasoline prices naturally have a harder time paying the term fee for the children's activities, buying the expensive equipment, or even being able to drive their children to practice. Therefore, we are lowering the tax for low- and middle-income earners.

Everyone has probably noticed that it has become a few kronor cheaper to fuel the car since the turn of the year. This government, like the interpellor, also sees that there are several groups who are further away from an active sporting life. The government also sees this, and we also think it is a problem. It is a problem for the individual, and it is a problem for society.

We know that sports improve our health. Sports clubs contribute to a social environment, and participation in them contributes to a meaningful leisure time, something that we wish all our children and young people can be a part of. Therefore, the government is making a significant investment in the leisure card, which has already been mentioned here, and we naturally long for it to be implemented.

In addition to this, we have also decided that an annual support of 100 million kronor shall be provided to strengthen the sports movement's presence in a total of 61 areas. The purpose is concrete: to provide resources to reach precisely those children who are furthest away and invite them into sports and, in the long run, also promote inclusion and increase safety.

Idrottsklivet is driven in collaboration between Riksidrottsförbundet and eleven of our RF-Sisu districts as well as 14 special sports federations. It is important that we help each other, so that it will be as good as possible.

The sports movement's common decided strategy contains ambitions for sports for all, and the government naturally stands behind that. We want to be leading in that work. It should be possible for more, and in the long run all, to be able to engage in an association regardless of address or the family's economic circumstances. Through Idrottsklivet, we can challenge sports' traditional norms and structures and direct the resources to where they are needed most.

I am proud to be part of a government where we see the big picture and understand that the entire wallet affects how families can prioritize, including the children's sports. It feels secure that we have a sports minister who, in addition to their political commitment, also personally understands the importance of sports and prioritizes it in their actions.

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Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)

Madam Speaker! Many thanks to Serkan Köse, Mattias Vepsä and Emma Ahlström Köster for the debate so far! It is an important discussion, which Mattias Vepsä, among others, underlined.

Let me start with some news. The leisure card will be in place during 2025. It is an initiative based on what the interpellor and Mattias Vepsä point out, namely the fact that children today opt out of their leisure activities when they understand that they are competing with mom and dad's tough finances. It competes with the electricity bill and the grocery bag.

The purpose is to create a support that can only go towards this, so that one does not have to be faced with that type of choice. It is something completely new that we are trying to do. I admit that it is difficult and complicated. It requires extensive processing of personal data. It requires legislation. It is required that we get the clubs involved and that the administration for them does not become so burdensome that this does not work.

It requires a lot of things, but the goal is perfectly clear: More children and young people should have this opportunity. We shall protect their right to sports, to club involvement, to cultural school and to outdoor life from other things in society, so that also new groups get the opportunity to participate, groups that cannot do so today. That is the background to this, and I am immensely proud of this initiative.

I perceive it as the Social Democrats now being on board with this and thinking it is a good idea. When we first presented this, the Social Democrats called it welfare for the poor. It was said that it is welfare for the poor to try to provide support and grants for individuals' participation fees or training fees. They have changed their minds, I perceive.

It is good that we see the same problem and that we also see that this can be part of the solution. Will it be the entire solution? I do not think so. Let me point out some other things that also need to work better. It is about access to premises and facilities. This needs to be worked on more. I met with the municipalities and the Swedish Sports Confederation this week to talk about this, among other things. How can we work to get more and more cost-effective facilities? That is an important matter.

Mattias Vepsä mentioned several other dimensions of this. The clubs themselves also need to consider measures that ensure they are inclusive, offer training opportunities for everyone, and counteract unnecessary materialism in young years. For example, one can ensure that the app to be used does not only work on the latest iPhone models. Such things can otherwise be encountered, and it is not that the clubs do not want to, but rather that they have not really thought about this. They need to get better at that.

We also need to work with other dimensions that allow more people to continue. It concerns things such as early peaking and that type of problem. But I share the view that this is also a consequence of economic conditions, and now we are trying to do something about it. Not least, it concerns the funds that have been released to sports via Idrottsklivet to strengthen the sports movement in areas where it has historically been a bit weaker and more club life was needed. Now, a targeted investment is being made for this.

Good things are happening now. Will it be enough? No, more needs to be done, but these are important things that the government is now implementing.

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Serkan Köse (S)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, Minister, for the answer, and thank you for the notification that we will receive the leisure card on-site only next year! This means, therefore, that the government does not intend to do anything this year that is directed towards the target groups we are talking about. Very many are waiting for a decision from the government here and now.

What is intended to be done regarding the funds available for the current year? Will it be possible to use them in some way in the municipalities to renovate existing sports facilities or extend their opening hours? It is not only focused on new construction but also on the maintenance of the facilities that exist today? There is a huge need there.

We know that sports facilities often end up far down on the priority list of the municipalities, especially during periods of economic strain. Here, the government has a unique opportunity to use these funds effectively here and now. Investing in sports facilities and paying attention to socioeconomically disadvantaged areas can also improve the situation. These funds could be used and distributed to the municipalities already this year.

It is interesting that the Moderaterna say that one sees the entire family's economy. One can look at a survey recently conducted by Rädda Barnen, Hyresgästföreningen, Majblomman, and Röda Korset which shows that three out of ten families have difficulty buying nutritious food. Three out of ten have difficulty paying for leisure activities for the children, and four out of ten are worried about how the family's economic situation affects the children's needs and well-being.

We have increased child poverty in our country, and we have economic gaps. We also have socioeconomically disadvantaged areas. Sports are not accessible to all children. It costs money. It costs money to be involved. It costs money to participate.

In the socioeconomically disadvantaged areas, many of the civil society associations make a fantastic contribution. Every single krona is stretched, and everything is done to ensure that all children in these areas get the opportunity to participate in sports. They drive the children. They help financially when it comes to paying the fees. They help with buying equipment. They perhaps share clothes, shoes, and other things. Thus, an enormous contribution is made by civil society associations and organizations.

But the question is: What is the government doing? Is the answer, as the Moderaterna were pointing out, that you lower the tax? Or is the answer that you ensure that more people get this opportunity? Are efforts being made here and now to strengthen associations, civil society, and the sports clubs, so that children get the opportunity to continue kicking the ball?

This is the great challenge. Child poverty is a consequence of the parents being poor. When the parents are unemployed and when communities become socioeconomically disadvantaged, it is clear that it affects the children. In those cases, other types of measures and interventions are needed than lowering the tax.

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Mattias Vepsä (S)

Madam Speaker! I thank you for an exciting debate or discussion here on this Friday.

One can start with the Moderates' constant focus on tax cuts as the best solution to all societal problems. One must nevertheless observe that at the other end, food prices have increased enormously. We have an inflation that affects costs. When one goes and shops for a pair of football boots, a pair of swimming trunks, or something else, one sees that things have become much more expensive. We have record increases in rents. These are costs for getting to and from practice for those who do not drive a car – for those who, for example, take the subway, commuter train, or bus.

The tax cut is therefore eaten up at the other end by other costs. I am also thinking of the welfare crisis that the government's passivity has driven the country into. We have had that debate before, but this hits very hard against children and young people's opportunities to have an active leisure time or an active cultural life. It is also there that municipalities all over the country are cutting back and saving.

We are, therefore, not quite in agreement that the tax cut has been the "alexanderhugg" that the Moderaterna want to make regarding in the chamber of the Riksdag. On the contrary, more and more families with children are now in a situation, which we have touched upon today, where they cannot afford to participate because it is too expensive. It is that reality that we are discussing here today, and it is regarding that reality that we would like to have even clearer answers from the government.

Just as Serkan Köse and the minister pointed out in the previous exchange, there is a large budget item in this year's budget that now does not seem to be used – it concerns the leisure card (fritidskortet). It is clear that those funds could be put to good use here and now.

We can set the debate aside. We can have some political development together, because we are constructive. That is how one should be in politics. Let us then be constructive! In what way could we use the space that exists to actually do as much good as we possibly can?

One could implement our proposal to double the money for Idrottsklivet when it concerns the most socioeconomically disadvantaged areas. I am thinking of the sports that already exist on site and that have built up their structure. That could be a way.

We could send these funds in an increased grant to the municipalities so that they can do exactly what we propose. It is then a matter of enabling more activities in existing sports halls or laying the foundation for more spontaneous sports sites or facilities that could be built all around the country.

One could also follow the example that exists here in Region Stockholm. It is about ensuring that children and young people can get to and from activities during the summer holidays. I think it is good that we test new methods to make it cheaper for children and young people to participate in sports, outdoor life, and cultural activities. But it hurts that six out of ten municipalities and regions do not provide public transport. We know that very many of those who lack a car are dependent on alternative means of transport.

When one is out and meeting sports clubs, this often comes up: We might be able to train, but we cannot play a match, and we cannot get to an activity further along the next metro line. They are then referred to alternatives that are not as good. The money could be useful to facilitate mobility, so that everyone can participate in these activities.

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Emma Ahlström Köster (M)

Madam Speaker! It is wonderful that, regardless of party affiliation, we are engaged and want the best for sports and our Swedish children and young people. Then we have somewhat different paths there. It is no secret. We see differently on how we solve this.

We say that the whole wallet matters. The whole family's finances matter and yield a result in terms of whether one can bet on or invest in one's children's activities or not.

One can scoff at it and think that it is nonsense or that it is not true. But I experience it to be so, and those I speak with testify to this.

The question in the interpellation is: What is the government doing?

We do many things. We have highlighted them today. We are lowering the tax for low- and middle-income earners. One can scoff at it and say: Yes, but it is still expensive. But it is still an investment that has made it better and that has made it easier.

We have lowered the petrol prices. That can be taken for granted. It is still not cheap, but it is better.

The leisure card is on the way. One can mock and laugh and say that it is not in place yet, or one can be impressed that we have a completely unique initiative that is on the way.

It is a unique investment in Idrottsklivet. Then the Social Democrats say: It is good, but there should have been even more money. One could think that, but it is a unique investment that is here already now.

I do not find equivalent initiatives when I look at what previous governments have done over eight years. I find nothing of equivalent sharpness directed straight at the group that needs it the most.

The Minister says: This is not everything, and it is completely true. This will not solve all problems. Not all children may be reached by this. But it is a good start, and we are already moving into it.

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Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, members, for this important debate! We will, therefore, use the money that exists for the leisure card purpose during the current year. A part of those funds needs, of course, to go towards continuing to develop the system, so that we get a robust system that works well for the individual and for the clubs and where we ensure that money does not end up in the wrong pockets. It is very important when one builds such a thing.

Of course, Medel needs to proceed in this way so that we get a robust system in place. I look forward to this living on for the foreseeable future and to it being in place for decades to come. In that case, it is of course important that it becomes good and correct from the start.

But there will also be some other means that we will, of course, use to strengthen the conditions for children and young people's leisure time in different ways.

We will return in the near future regarding how we intend to use these funds, but it could, for example, involve opportunities for leadership training and leadership recruitment. It could involve ensuring that the clubs and associations are better prepared to receive additional people coming to the sport when the leisure card is in place during 2025.

The economy in total is, of course, important. In addition to what Emma Ahlström Köster has highlighted, what the government is doing – tax reliefs and some other changes that facilitate things for families – there is an increased housing allowance for families with children. It has been increased by 40 percent against the background of the economic situation with very strong inflation, increased food prices and other things. I want to mention that in this context.

I appreciate policy development, of course. I think it is incredibly important. Can we be constructive and discuss with each other—that is something I truly welcome.

These funds that exist are earmarked for the leisure card. Now it is being delayed a little bit, and it is clear that then those funds are temporary. That needs to be taken into account when making these efforts.

I am happy to continue to develop policy both in the chamber of the Riksdag and in other contexts regarding how we can further strengthen the conditions. I think that some important dimensions regarding travel and transport are being pointed out, which I too have encountered in my work when I meet with clubs.

As I said, it needs to be a joint commitment from the state, the municipalities, sports, and the voluntary sector to ensure that as many as possible can participate. It is also about designing the activities in such a way that as many as possible get the chance.

We have a long line of challenges. We have unequal health, where not least the access to sports but also to the community that sports offer differs. I believe it was Member Vepsä who spoke about social community. It is a fantastic concept that, in my opinion, encompasses so much of what we want to see: a sense of belonging, to be seen, to be able to contribute, to be able to participate. Everyone, all children and young people, should have that opportunity.

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Serkan Köse (S)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, Minister, for the answer! It is pleasing to hear the Minister say that the money will also be used during the current year. I look forward to that, because there is a need. That we agree on. I also share the view that the money should not end up in the wrong pockets. That, too, we agree on.

When it comes to how the money should be used, we have mentioned some proposals. Support is needed for associations and not least for families with children who face great challenges. If we are to once again ensure that the entire family's finances play a role, it is also important that families with children receive support.

I do not, as I have said, share the view that lowered taxes reach these groups. The great challenge we see today is, as I mentioned earlier, increased child poverty. We see increased socioeconomic gaps in our society. Lowered taxes do not help these families. The Red Cross, Save the Children, Majblomman, and the Tenants' Association signal in report after report to the politicians, to the government, and to us that we must act. We must do something, they say, and come with concrete proposals about, for example, increased child allowance and more support for families with children who are having a very difficult time right now.

We must be able to see the whole picture and not just get stuck in that lowered taxes will solve these problems, because they do not. They have not done so until now. If we are to ensure that we create a society with cohesion and reduced inequalities, politics needs to act and look at the entire family's finances and how we can ensure that all children in our country have equal opportunities for sports, culture, and leisure activities.

Thank you, Mr. Minister, for the debate!

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Mattias Vepsä (S)

Madam Speaker! It often becomes a tax policy debate when one has the opportunity to discuss politics with Moderates here in the chamber.

I would like to supplement the picture presented by Member Serkan Köse so that it becomes clear to everyone that we had several alternatives in the autumn budget, for example in the form of a fair tax cut for ordinary people with a tapering for high-income earners. We proposed a bank tax that would have provided large revenues to the state treasury and lowered interest rates. We rejected the reinforcement of lyx-rot and lyx-rut, which primarily give high-income earners in the absolute strongest part of our society large tax reliefs to clean their homes or continue renovating kitchens in the hundreds of thousands of kronor range.

We rejected this, while we instead wanted to invest the money in welfare and ensure that the municipalities all over the country received help and support through the cost crisis. It is not about mocking anyone, joking, or making fun, but it is about seeing in reality that the prioritization made by the Moderate-led government and the Sverigedemokraterna has put large parts of our country in a cost crisis where they are now saving on children and young people. Alongside that development, we see that more and more people are calling Bris and reaching out to the gift-giving and collection organizations and the social movements to ask for support. That is what this debate is about.

We want to point out once again that it is very good that the leisure card will potentially be implemented and filled with content, but we also hope that the signals we receive are taken seriously and that the money is also invested in reducing fees and ensuring that more people can participate in sports.

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Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)

Madam Speaker! Thanks to the interpellants Mattias Vepsä and Serkan Köse for the debate!

It is an important discussion. We are not going to have the entire budget discussion in this interpellation debate, but it is clear that we can have different views, for example, regarding the government's measures for the construction sector. We see the importance of people there being able to keep their jobs in a tough time with rising inflation and high interest rates that have put an enormous pressure on investments in the construction sector. It is important that something is done about it. Then we can discuss which measures are the best, but that is what the government is primarily trying to do with some of the measures that Mattias Vepsä points out.

When it comes to tax cuts, the government in its budget has clearly prioritized broad tax cuts for ordinary people in the tough economic times that households are facing, while we have also increased and strengthened the housing allowance that goes to the economically most vulnerable families with children.

Let us leave that there and state that we agree that we have concerns regarding the fact that far too few children get the chance for sports and for a life in an association. Too few get the chance to meet an adult leader or a youth leader at the door who welcomes one to a practice and sees, confirms, and provides the opportunity for activity and movement. I am determined that we shall change this. It should not be that one has a peak at the age of eleven and then it just declines, but more should get chances and opportunities.

I welcome this discussion and the upcoming discussions regarding this. We need policy development in this area, together with municipalities, regions, civic life, and organizations.

Mattias Vepsä mentions Bris in his post. I met them this morning and received their annual report, and one thing they point out is that more and more young people are struggling with hopelessness. Something that creates hope is community with others, where one gets the opportunity to express oneself and have their say, so to speak, like a chance for activity together with other people. Therefore, this is very important.

Many thanks for the debate!

The interpellations debate was hereby concluded.

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